


The Devil dances in the moonlight.

by Lorirose



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Breakup, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 12:06:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14915061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorirose/pseuds/Lorirose
Summary: In a world where no one ever dies, it can be hard to find the will to live. Trapped in a hell of his own creation and facing eternity repenting, Robert makes a choice. The decision leaves his friends and family stunned. Especially Aaron, who had just begun to forgive him. What can he do when there is little left of the man he loves?





	1. Pandora's box is opened.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert's grief and guilt force him to make a shocking decision. There's no one around to stop him.

The Devil dances in the moonlight.

Pandora's box is opened.

Robert Sugden.

 

I don't regret a single day spent with Aaron. We've been written in the stars since the dawn of time and were meant to have a story spanning eternity. We were going to be the stuff of legends. But we'll never get that now. There's a fatal flaw in me, a need to push the boundaries further than they should be and it doomed us from the start. Because even though Aaron's bruised and battered, I'm the one that's broken. Rebecca can only be blamed for so much. I opened the door to her and Aaron shoved me out of it. I didn't blame him. How could I? 

"You're defective, Robert," Chas growled, "What were you thinking?"

My cheek stung with the impression of her palm and I dragged myself back to my feet, swaying slightly. I offered my former mother-in-law a mocking half smile that was all for show. Inside I wanted to cry and never stop. The ever-present ache inside me had become a never-ending throb in my chest. I needed to talk to Aaron but had no idea where he was. Liv had kicked me out of The Mill and Vic could hardly stand to look at me.

"Please Chas, just tell me where he is. Is he safe?"

Chas laughed coldly, icy eyes flashing black and I took a hasty step back. Her magic was as blinding as her temper, brilliant and fiery and it burned through mine. I couldn't have protected myself even if I'd tried. Chas leant forward on the bar and pinned me with a ferocious gaze. I forgot how to breathe.

"He's safe because he's as far away from you as possible. I don't even know if he's coming home and it's because of you,"

I gasped at the thought, Chas took pleasure in my agony and smirked. Chas knew exactly what to say to make my Soul Bond scream. Aaron had blocked his days ago but I still felt it wail and sob with the weight of what I had done. It was like a ghost in the back of my mind, silent but always there. I had always known that love would ruin me. Aaron had to come back, his entire life was here. If he did, then maybe I could make him understand. 

"He'll be back," I vowed. 

"Maybe. But it certainly won't be for you. Do you know what he told me? The second he gets back he's dissolving the Bond between ya. He wants nothing more to do with you. Now, get out of my pub,"

I couldn't move. Couldn't think. Didn't Aaron know that the Bond was the only thing that kept me sane? It had been a part of me for over two hundred years. To lose it would destroy my soul. I'd be nothing but a dead man walking. Chas didn't understand the Bond. It was Aaron's gift to me, something only his unique magic could conjure up. The control he had over his emphatic ability always astounded me. Had I really pushed him that far this time? Or was it an amalgamation of everything I had ever done to him. All the times I had lied and schemed, acted out the illusions that came as easily to me as breathing. 

A heavy hand settled on my shoulder and squeezed so hard that I felt my bones grind together. I yelped and thrashed against Cain's hold but he walked me out of the pub and tossed me to the gutter. The door slammed shut behind him. Once it had been a second home to me. I had been granted a second family after the curse that stole mine away. But now I had nothing but bitter memories and a reputation to last me centuries. I turned on my heel, catching sight of Liv standing at the end of the Mill's driveway, watching me silently. When she realised I was looking, she sent a handful of lightening at my feet and zapped up my legs. It wasn't the first time that Liv had electrocuted me but all those times before had been playful. A spark at the ends of her hair when I messed it up or too much static on her arm when I poked her. Never before had it been so malicious. But I couldn't say it was undeserved. I straightened my spine painfully and limped into Keeper's Cottage. No one in this god forsaken town would ever see me cry again. I had done enough of that to last me forever. All the tricks in the world couldn't hide my sorrow anymore. 

 

The cottage was thankfully empty when I sneaked in, Vic still at work and Adam refusing to show up until he was sure I was in bed. I didn't even bother to turn the lights on as I climbed the stairs and headed straight for the bathroom. Silently, I stripped off in front of the mirror and winced at the patchwork bruises on my collarbone. Trying to lift my arm resulted in sparks of shooting agony that left me breathless but to my untrained eye, it wasn't broken. Cain wasn't stupid enough to give me lasting damage. My legs had strange forked silver lines reaching up them. I brushed my fingertip against the most predominate one and to my surprise it was cold. Liv on the other hand would leave a scar and be proud that she had. At least in the beginning she would be. Just until the guilt set in. She could be just as tender-hearted as her big brother was. No one seemed to realise or even care that my magic was all mental. I could make them think they were dying but they would be completely safe. Liv, Chas and Cain's were physical and time and time again I had been knocked to the ground by them. Each time it got a little harder to get up. Sighing, I dressed again and collapsed face first onto my bed. I curled up on the blankets that smelt to clean and scratched my skin. I missed Aaron. I wanted to go home. He would never understand how sorry I was. How my drunken mistake ate me up inside. Aaron was my world, my everything and I had betrayed him for no good reason. We had argued but after the years we had spent together a little friction was expected. I had gone over that night a thousand times in my head and was no closer to understanding. Why had I called Rebecca when Aaron was waiting at home for me? It made no sense. I picked up my phone and toyed with the idea of calling Aaron again but couldn't face another rejection like the last one.

_"I don't want to talk to you, Robert. Do one,"_

_"Aaron, please, listen to me,"_

_"I'm done with you. Stop calling me,"_

So I had. Our last conversation had been almost a week ago. The days had started to merge together so it could have been longer. The front door opened and I heard Vic and Adam traipse inside giggling between them. Jealousy reared its ugly head inside me. That should have been Aaron and I, instead I got a box for a room and he got to try and start again. An impossible feat when you live forever and a day. If I could forget the last three months then I would happily give all the money I had. As much as I longed to be with Aaron again, I missed me. I missed the smug, arrogant man who radiated confidence because he had complete faith in his husband. I needed to be him again. But how could I be when Aaron was in my soul? Vic slid the mail I had missed underneath my door without a word. Every day I felt a little bit more like an intruder. She didn't want me here. Adam hated me because I stopped Aaron from coming home. I scooped up the letters, sorting through the statements and junk mail until I came across one that sent a fizzle up my spine. The vibrant pink envelope faded to a sad blue beneath my hand and I recognised it as one of those empathetic letters I had read about. They were only sent out to people who vibrated on a certain frequency. One of heartbreak. One of regret. I dropped the other letters into the bin and retreated to the bed, curling up around the pillow and tearing open the letter. The paper shimmered and then golden text began to loop onto it. I held my breath until every single letter had formed. 

 

_Mr R.J. Sugden,_

_We can hear your pain from miles away. You are losing yourself to the guilt of your actions. The forgiveness you search for cannot be granted, he can't do it. I'm sorry for your loss. But we can save you. Just imagine it, that fresh start that you are yearning for. Memories can be rewritten as can the heart. We have a new spell, one to erase all heartache. You may have to give up your memories of your loved one but isn't that better than the half life you lead now? You are not dead, so fight to live._

_Sincerely,_

_The Sisters._

 

An address and a phone number were printed underneath the letter. I let the paper fall to the bed and gathered my knees underneath my chin. If I gave up Aaron then I would be free to leave Emmerdale and he would be able to find someone else to love. He would forget about me eventually and I wouldn't know what I was missing. It sounded awful but in this situation, there were no winners anyway. The Sisters were a new age Coven that had sprung up almost overnight and I had heard great things about their magic. If anyone could fix me then they could. Before I could change my mind, I called the number and waited with held breath.

"Robert, hello," A dreamy voice answered, "You have your decision then?"

Taken aback, I swallowed hard, "Y-yes,"

"You wish to be Reset?" 

"Is that what it's called. Your letter didn't say. What happens?"

"The Reset is drawn to your agonies, to your sorrow and your nightmares and it sweeps them away. The memories of important events remain but the emotions connected to them are severed,"

It sounded both frightening and wonderful.

"I'll still be me?"

"More you than you are now. Are you coming, Robert?"

"I don't know...,"

The woman on the end sighed like she understood, "Can you really wait for Aaron to forgive you? He may not. What happens when he lets you go and you're left in his dust? Aaron was born to be great with or without you,"

That stung more than I wanted it to, "OK. I'd like to be Reset then,"

"A wise choice. We will send a car for you tomorrow morning. Pack a bag. Goodnight,"

She hung up on me and I blinked at the dial tone for a moment. I placed the phone on my nightstand and pulled a backpack out from underneath my bed. Into it I threw a stretched out jumper and a pair of ratty jeans. I was determined to leave behind everything that Robert Sugden had been. The suit that had been pressed and hung up neatly on the wardrobe ready tomorrow suddenly mocked me. With a roar, I ripped it from the hanger and threw it to the floor, stomping on it and kicking it across the floor. Robert Sugden was a monster. I was going to be better. Before I could think it through, I was tugging my wedding band off and staring at it. Once it held promises of hope and love and now it was nothing but a dream. I pressed it softly to my lips, whispering an ' I love you' into the metal. Swallowing back my tears, I put my ring back next to Aaron's in their box and shoved it to the back of my desk drawer. I wanted to leave him a message but I didn't know what I would say. I dragged my hands through my hair, how had we come to this?

.......................................................................................

A text came through on my phone at 5:30am and I rose from the bed. I hadn't been able to sleep, instead I spent the time trying to imagine a life without Aaron in it. It seemed incomprehensible but I had to do it for Aaron. I crept into Vic's bedroom and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. She snuffled in her sleep and curled up closer to Adam. 

"I'm going to be better, Vic. You'll see. I'll make you proud of me. Love you, sis," 

Quietly, I locked up the cottage and slipped my key into my jean pocket. I cast one glance over my shoulder at the dark Mill. It was meant to be my home but now it was my biggest shame. The sleek black car rolled up to me, it had tinted windows and angel's wings hanging in the rear view window. The back passenger opened silently and I climbed inside before I could change my mind. I sank into the leather seats and pressed my palms over my eyes. Was I really doing this? The chauffeur titled his cap at me and turned on the radio. I sent the last text I would ever send to Liv, knowing that she would never read it. 

**No matter what I love you. You don't know how much you've meant to me. I'm so, so sorry for what I did to you and Aaron. I won't ask for forgiveness, I know I won't get it. See you around. x**

I turned to watch as hills rolled by my window and said goodbye to everyone in the village. I dozed off in the car and the abrupt stopping jolted me awake. I blinked tiredly at a rustic looking cottage that had a thatched roof and roses over the door. It was perfect and made me feel a little bit more at ease. The door opened before I could even get to it and a small red haired girl smiled up at me. She was barely out of her teenage years but her eyes were ancient. She held out a manicured hand to me and the strength in her grasp surprised me. 

"Good morning, Robert. I'm Celeste. How are you feeling?"

I scratched the back of my neck, "Nervous,"

"That's understandable. Are you sure about this? It isn't easy to reverse once it has taken hold,"

I nodded, "It's for the best,"

Celeste led me into her cottage and deposited me on an overstuffed sofa. The room smelt of safe and lavender with a cauldron of something bubbling in the corner. The walls were lined with books and various potion bottles. Calmness washed over me and Celeste sat down in front of me. On the coffee table she placed a silver potion. Dagger winged butterflies assaulted my stomach.

"Is that it?" I breathed.

She nodded, "All you have to do is drink it. I want you to stay here for the night. It can be jarring to have so many parts of yourself rewritten. Negative reactions happen very rarely but they do occur,"

"That's fine,"

"I'll ask you one more time; are you positive this is what you want? A lifetime without Aaron in it or at least not as he is to you now. Can you do it?"

I shrugged, "I won't know any difference. I'm sure,"

I almost thought that Celeste looked disappointed in me, like I had failed a test I didn't know I was taking. Another older woman swept into the room, her hair was piled on top of her hair and the colour of lipstick she had chosen was shocking. She sat down next to Celeste and oozed charm and appeal. Her eyes met mine and sympathy swam in their depths. I said nothing as she leant across the distance and cupped my face between her hands.

"Oh look at you. A broken little boy with no one who loves him. People like you are the reason we made this spell. We live until the stars die out but why should we carry such suffering inside our hearts?Perhaps your Aaron won't ever forgive you but I think it's more likely that you won't forgive yourself. Sugar, its okay to want to laugh again. Your mama told me that you've got the most wonderful smile,"

I blinked at her with tears in my eyes. A little understanding went a long way and I clung to the idea that somehow she could contact my Mum. That maybe Mum wouldn't be as disappointed in me as everyone else in my life was. She dragged her thumb underneath my eyes and kissed my forehead. Celeste touched the woman's knee and she released my face.

"This is my sister, Harriet. She's the one who sensed you,"

"Thank you,"

Harriet smiled and slid a scrap of paper and a pen toward me.

"Write done one physical thing to be your Trigger Object. Just in case we need to undo the magic. It needs to be something of great importance to you. I'll keep it safe,"

It was the easiest thing in the world to write down two little words and hand the paper back to Harriet. She rolled it up and tied it with a pink ribbon. Then she placed it in a tiny wooden chest and waggled her fingertips over it. I heard a lock spring into place. A heavy weight settled in my gut, a hesitation that I hadn't felt before. My palms were sweaty and my heart raced in my chest. Celeste reached across and squeezed my fingertips, jarring me back from the sensation in my stomach.

"It's not too late to back out,"

"No, I need to do this but first I need to call Aaron and leave a message,"

"Of course. When you're done take the potion. I'll come and take you to your room. And Robert, make sure you're doing this for the right reasons," 

Deep down inside I knew I was. Aaron needed his freedom and I needed my sanity. I waited until the sisters' footsteps had faded before I made one final phone call to the man I loved more than anything in the world. As expected he let it ring to voicemail and I honestly thought that it was better. 

_"Leave a message after the tone,"_

"Hi, Aaron, it's me...again. I know you told me not to call anymore but there's just a few things I need to say. And I know that if I don't say them now then it'll be too late. First off, you are the love of my life, there'll never be anyone else like you. You reminded me what it was like to be loved. It's because of you that I became a better person. So, thank you. God, this sounds like goodbye, doesn't it? I think that's what I'm doing. Right now, I'm sat in some woman's house about to be Reset. It means that I'll forget you. The last two hundred years won't mean anything to me anymore. That's what you wanted, isn't it? For me to stop being selfish and let you go. And I am. I love you, Aaron Dingle. So much. I'm so sorry for what I did to us. I don't understand why I did it but I did. Time's almost up now, I hope you have a fantastic life. Aaron...I'm scared,"

I hung up before I could spill anymore of my dark secrets and brought the potion to my lips. It smelt of apples but tasted of ash and I gagged as I chugged it down. Celeste swept back into the room just as I drained the last drop and lowered the bottle back to the table. I ran my tongue across dry lips and raised a questioning eyebrow at the tiny woman. She sat down next to me and placed her fingers over the pulse in my wrist. Harriet perched on the sofa arm beside my head.

"Is that it?" I asked.

"Give it a few seconds," Celeste mumbled. 

"I don't feel any...oh...oh I don't like that...,"

The icy tingling started at the corners of my mouth and snaked out toward my ears. The chill chased away the warmth in my blood as it surged around my chest and clambered up toward my head. Fingers latched into my brain and rooted through memories good and bad for the ones of Aaron. Our wedding day flickered across my vision and dissolved into ashes. He had looked so handsome and so happy in his suit. I wanted to keep him forever. The day I first met him, standing with Ross in the garage went up in smoke. I was charmed by a cheeky grease monkey who got away with calling me names. Even the nights I cherished so much because he was sleepy and soft became lost to the magic. The first time he said he loved me and I knew he meant it, underneath the cloak of moonlight. I tried to cling to them but they slipped through my fingertips like stardust. I got to see Aaron's beautiful face and feel the emotions attached to it before it was severed. And just like that, my Aaron, my husband was gone. I opened my eyes, half aware that I was resting in Celeste's lap and blinded by my tears. 

"Just breathe, Robert. You're doing really well. It's over,"

But it wasn't. The claws were still digging around in my mind and it had chosen someone else to erase. The lazy evenings spent with Liv arguing about superheros went next, then one of us screaming at each other in the rain. The memory of Liv was gone with the wind. Chas' angry eyes went next, followed by Vic's famous chocolate cake and Adam's unwavering loyalty to his best friend. I curled up and screamed into my knees. The curse that took my Mum seared across my mind. It was the one painful memory that I wanted to keep. It kept her alive for a little bit longer. But no matter how hard I tried to barter and plead with the potion it was unforgiving and it stole Mum too. 

Distantly, I was aware of Celeste fluttering above me, yelling at me to  _just hang on._ But I was tumbling into darkness and I had no way to save myself. The cuckoo clock struck 10am. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this came from but I couldn't get it out of my head. Just to clear up a few points here are everyone's abilities so far:  
> Robert: Illusions.   
> Aaron: Empathy/telepathy.  
> Chas: Fire manipulation.   
> Liv: Lightening/thunder manipulation.  
> Cain:Strength.


	2. The dust of tomorrow.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summoned by a fear he can't understand, Aaron returns home. A nightmare waits for him.

The devil dances in the moonlight. 

The dust of tomorrow. 

Aaron Dingle.

 

"Yeah Liv, I'm fine. Really," 

She snorted over the phone and I heard her flop back onto her bed. For once, I wasn't lying to her. A fortnight away had done me wonders. The distance from home had allowed me a chance to reflect on the past month. The anger hadn't faded completely from my heart, it lingered but it wasn't anywhere near as raw. Time would heal it, it would heal us. Robert's one night stand had been excruciating and made me bleed in ways I didn't know I could but now I understood his reasons. I had hurt him. My husband was a brilliant man but he didn't deal with emotional pain well. The smallest amount of rejection always sent him spinning into a whirl of insecurity and anger. I should have anticipated that by now. I had never meant the words I said to him. The time in jail was inconsequential to the years we had to spend together but being trapped in a cell with humanity's monsters surrounding me had been awful. Every thought they had, every crime they had committed had been on replay in my head endlessly. I knew about the murders, the muggings and the robberies. They were proud of the ones who had hurt people. I had wanted to tear my skin off. To erase the pain, I lashed out and Robert was my victim. After all, I knew the right words to hurt him. 

"Are you coming home?" Liv asked. 

I sat back against the hotel pillows, "Yeah. I'll be back tomorrow,"

"Finally," She groaned, then her voice changed and she sounded all her fifteen years, "W-what about Rob?"

Dragging a hand down my face, I sighed, "I don't know, Liv. There's a lot for us to work out. We both made mistakes,"

She sniffed, "I hate him,"

"No, you don't. He's our idiot, remember?"

That was one thing I was certain about. Liv loved Robert with all her heart because he gave her a family. He opened his arms up to an angry, firecracker of a child and gave her a home. Robert had done the same for me. 

"He's more than that. There isn't a word for him. But still I...I want him to come home. It's to quiet without him here,"

I could only imagine the emptiness in The Mill. The radio hadn't been switched on since Robert left. It was still set to his favourite station and I couldn't bring myself to change it, so I let it gather dust. Robert had always sung when he cleaned or cooked, mindless tunes or the choruses of musicals. I had learned to love the sound. It made me feel safe. I swallowed hard and picked at a thread on the blanket. As much as I wanted Robert's return to The Mill, I didn't think it would be that easy. Trust had to be rebuilt on both sides.

"I can't promise anything. He might not want to come back,"

"He's been asking about you everyday. Chas kicked him out of the pub today for it. He'll definitely say yes,"

Mum's hatred for Robert was the last thing I wanted. That unquenchable fire in her hungered for conflict and more often than not, Robert took the brunt of it. Silently, willingly, because he was mine.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "I'll have to talk to her about that,"

"Might want to mention it to Cain and Adam as well,"

"Christ, that bad?"

"He brought it on himself," She growled. 

"Liv," I cautioned, "Enough,"

"How can you forgive him so easily? He cheated on you! With a woman,"

I expected the pain to take my breath away but instead it throbbed like a day old bruise. 

"Because he's my One. My reason,"

Liv didn't understand. She was adamant that she didn't want to find her person. So, she didn't know the all encompassing joy that I felt around Robert. I knew his deepest fears and his wildest dreams. I cried with him and his smile was the sun I orbited around. No matter what he did, I would always, always love him. And there would never be a day when I wouldn't return to him. I could run for years and inevitably find myself in his arms again.

"So you've said. But don't let him take you for a fool, Aaron. OK?"

"OK. Go do your homework,"

She grinned through the receiver, "It's Saturday,"

"Doesn't mean anything. Goodnight, Liv,"

"Bye,"

I hung up and slipped underneath the blankets. Our second chance was on the horizon, I could feel it.

....................................................................

Morning had me stalking around the room with a deep unease in my gut. I couldn't shake it off. The world was holding it's breath around me and I didn't know why. There was a itch in my brain that I couldn't reach and ice in my veins. Something was terribly wrong. I packed up my bag and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. It had a text and a voicemail message on it. I opened the text first, tugging on my jacket as I moved.

**Get home now. Robert's doing something stupid again.**

A chill shot down my spine and my mouth went dry. What trouble could Robert have possibly have gotten himself into? Didn't he know to wait for me? I was about to listen to the voicemail that I just knew was from Robert when our dormant Bond suddenly burst into fire. I dropped to my knees, pressing my hand against my ears, drowning in the sound of Robert's screams. I scrambled for the golden threads tying my mind to Robert's but they snapped and frayed before I could gather them. My husband's agony bled into the very cells of my body and it turned me inside out. Half blind by the terror, I reached for him, searching for his blinding glow. It was little more than an ember now, the darkness was devouring him. He was terrified and being torn into tiny pieces that I couldn't catch. I tried to soothe him and my head snapped back with the force of slamming into a mental wall. I tasted blood on my top lip. Robert had never done anything like this before. I shoved against it, screaming out for Robert and getting nothing in return. I saw him once, a glorious golden man with tears streaming down his face, reaching out for me but then he dissolved into stardust.

I opened my eyes, my nose pressed against the scratchy fibres of the carpet. The black lash left me panting and sobbing as my muscles trembled. My mind was empty. Robert was gone.

"No, no, no, no, no," I gasped, "What the fuck did you do?"

A knock on the door startled me. I surged to my feet and almost ripped the door off it's hinges. A greasy haired man blinked back at me and his eyes widened. 

"Is-is everything all right? We've had reports of someone screaming?"

"I'm checking out. Now,"

I dared him to disagree with me. He didn't have the guts too. 

I'm coming, Robert. Just hold on.

.....................................................................

I sprinted up the road, Robert's phantom screams still in my head and headed straight for Keeper's Cottage. A small crowd had gathered outside it and they all stunk of horror and confusion. I saw Cain and Adam, staring down at the ground. 

"What did you do to him?" Vic screeched.

She was crouched on the ground, clutching a blonde haired man to her chest. Her mind was a mess of mind numbing terror and disbelief. Adam stood with his hand on her shoulder, staring down slack jawed. I stepped around Cain and all the breath rushed out of my lungs. The person Vic was cradling was Robert. He lay small, pale and lifeless in her arms. His face lax in unconsciousness and he looked so breakable. I crashed to my knees and pressed trembling fingers to his forehead. There had been many times in the past when Robert had dove head first into his memories. Lost himself to his demons. On every occasion I had been able to bring him back. But as I scrambled through the darkness of his psyche I knew something was hideously broken within him.  Instead of the rolling hills and sparkling waterfalls, his mindscape was a barren wasteland. I searched for him in the depths but there was nothing. Robert was always so busy, his mind always humming with possibilities and dreams. Never silent. Always golden. I gasped and pulled Robert closer to me, handling him like glass. I raised my fist to my mouth and sobbed.

"He's empty, Vic! I can't find him. Rob? Robert open your eyes,"

Vic slammed her hands to Robert's chest and they glowed green.

"I can fix this," I didn't know who she was trying to convince, "I can bring him back. Watch me," But her magic fizzled out and Robert lay unresponsive on my lap, "I don't understand. There's nothing to heal. He's fine,"

"He's not there anymore, Vic! How is that fine? Robert, c'mon, I'm here now. I've got you, wake up,"

"He will in time. But you won't like it,"

My head snapped up at the new voice and I stared furiously at the two women. Both were guilty and nervous. I folded myself protectively over Robert. These two witches were the reason I was loosing him.

"What happened?" I growled.

The tallest one with eyes the colour of amethyst stepped forward and peered down her nose at me.

"You're Aaron, right? The empath that his mind kept babbling about? I expected you to be better,"

I barred my teeth at her, "Tell me right now what you've done. Why can't I find him?"

"Robert's been Reset," The red head said as if it solved everything, "But it went wrong,"

"What does that mean?" Vic hissed, "Fix him,"

The women fidgeted and their hesitance almost undid me. I didn't need to hear them speak to know that they couldn't do anything. I brushed my fingers over Robert's clammy skin and winced at the dark smudges beneath his eyes and the gauntness of his cheeks. His hair was longer and curled around the tops of his ears. It reminded me of the very first day I met him, in a bar, all those years ago. When he was a smug, arrogant twit, kicking out at a world who had hurt him time and time again. A time when I was so desperate to escape my father's touch that I picked a fight with the first man who looked my way. Robert had peeled me from the floor after a brutal beat down and pressed a glass of whiskey into my hand. A man's mind is his weakest point, he had said, tipping his hat toward my assailants. The men had gone ghostly white, scratching at their eyes and mouths until they were writhing messes on the floorboards. Robert had never stopped saving me since that day. My constant protector whenever the world chewed me up and spat me out. He wasn't perfect, most of the time he was a disaster but I'd be lost without him. 

"We can't. Is there somewhere we can talk?"

I opened my mouth but no words came out. I was lost in Robert's silence. Adam's strong hand rested on my shoulder and squeezed once in comfort. For once, I was happy to let him take the lead.

"We'll take him inside. Aaron, let Cain move him,"

As much as it hurt to, I let Cain scoop Robert up into his arms and his face twisted into something I didn't recognise. 

_When did he get so thin?_

I jammed my fist into my mouth as Cain's thoughts drifted into mine like a song on a radio station. Part of me wanted to rage and scream at him. Because Robert was the great pretender and Cain should have known better than to fall for the show.

....................................................................

The second I sat down, I held my arms out for Robert and Cain settled him into me. I burrowed out a corner for us on the sofa and walked my fingers down the curve of his jaw. Vic knelt beside Robert and her churning thoughts made my head reel. She lay her palm flat over Robert's chest and nodded to herself. Then she spun around and pointed an accusing finger at the visitors. 

"What's a Reset and how do we undo it?" She snapped.

The two women shared a glance and a silent conversation that put my teeth on edge. I gripped Robert's shirt tighter to stop myself from launching at them. Finally, the red head stepped forward with large doe eyes and a heart break that I didn't care about. She perched silently on the stool in front of us and pressed her fingertips together. 

"The Reset is a revolutionary new spell, it allows the client to erase certain aspects of their past. Some require the emotions gone but want to keep the memories whereas some just want to start again completely. It's safe. Usually,"

"What did Robert want to forget?" Adam asked

She fixed her gaze on me and didn't even have to tell me. The day I had made Robert leave, his agony oozed from every pore in his body. That brilliantly golden aura had started to tarnish that day. I let out a wounded cry and folded myself down to press my forehead against Robert's. How could he think he needed to forget me? Had we really fallen so far that he hadn't seen a way back? 

He gave up on us. 

"How do I get him back?" I asked, my voice thick, "There's a way, right?"

"In theory, yes. Harriet and I devised a Trigger Object or word just in case but we tried it and it had no affect,"

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you, Aaron. It won't work if you know,"

My jaw clenched, "But this could save him. Why won't you tell me?"

Harriet shook her head, wild hair flying in all directions, "The Reset is a very personal spell. Robert chose this for a reason, one I know only a small part of. Celeste is right, your magic can't interfere with that,"

I played with a button on Robert's shirt, "What do we do? There has to be a way, please, he's my husband. Will he never know me again?"

Would he ever love me again?

Celeste's eyes glittered and she bit down on her lip. The guilt she was feeling became a storm that almost sent me crashing backward. I took a deep breath and swallowed the tears that wanted to come. How could I live the rest of eternity with a man who was a shell of Robert? One that looked and spoke like him but could never be him? He would never remember just how much he was loved. That I cherished every single second I spent with him. Everything would be for nothing. 

Harriet reached forward and took my free hand in hers,"Robert fought against the spell. Maybe he changed his mind mid way through but something happened within him to corrupt the magic. We didn't see it coming. There's no telling what will happen when he wakes up. I had no idea that you love him so much, I wouldn't have summoned him otherwise. He's got it into his head that he's unlovable. Maybe the love you and his family have can bring him back. He's not dead, Aaron and he's not erased. He's just lost,"

"He's hollow. There's nothing there anymore,"

"Look harder,"

I closed my eyes and pushed back into the barren wastelands inside Robert's head. A grey desert stretched out in all directions, the sand coarse and dense beneath my feet. Angry clouds rolled across a black sky. The air was still and suffocating. 

_"Rob? Are you here?"_

I moved forward, my harsh jagged breaths the only sound around me. The dullness of the entire place made me want to break down. How was this Robert now? So bleak and hopeless. His dreams used to run wild in here, a cherished childhood memory shone once or a secret wish just for us chimed softly. But now there wasn't even the whisper of one. I turned my face to the North, to the place where I had always resided and saw a deep dark black hole. The entry point of the Reset. A dark tendril shot out and I threw myself to the dirt. It stabbed into the ground beside me and I rolled to my feet and backed away. But it whirled and writhed, my presence drove it mad and as I watched it devoured more of Robert. I heard a scream on the wind and something collided with me. It pinned me down and took away my breath.

"AARON!"

Vic's shrill voice brought me back to reality and I stared down at her through tears that I couldn't stop. I glared at the sisters and sensing that Harriet was the most like me, I gave her a hard mental shove. She rocked back but recovered to quickly, her face impassive. 

"That spell is destroying him piece by piece and there's nothing I can do to stop it,"

Celeste bowed her head, "I'm sorry. We were just trying to help. He was in so much pain,"

"You should have tried to talk him out of it," I hissed. 

Cain put a restraining hand on my wrist, "Enough, lad. This isn't their fault,"

We were all to blame for the mess. I pushed to hard, forgot how insecure Robert really was and paid for it. I gathered Robert in closer to me and cried into his hair.

"Don't you leave me, Rob. We've got a lot to sort out but we can do it. I'm here now and I won't leave you alone,"

"A-Aaron?" I glanced at at Adam's shaky voice, "I think he's awake,"

I started to look where he was pointing but a low, ferocious growl made me freeze. Standing in the doorway, it's hackles raised and teeth glistening was the biggest lion I had ever seen. It's eyes were blood red and it easily reached my waist. As I stared, it's lips pulled back and the growl grew louder. Vic screamed and broke my concentration, she swatted terrified at her arms and chest. Adam moved for her and the lion snarled. 

"Bees!" Vic shrieked. "Get them off!"

Cain took a shaky breath and licked his lips, "The floor's on fire,"

This was Robert's insanity and it was just the beginning, soon we would be driven to scratch our eyes out. I stood up and lowered Robert carefully back down to the sofa, coming to a stop beside Cain and taking hold of his jacket sleeve to help anchor him to reality. It was so easily to spin into the atmosphere when Robert had a hold. He was at his most dangerous when he was afraid. I motioned for everyone to join me the furthest away from Robert and the hound. Vic gasped and pressed her face into Adam's chest. 

"It's not real," I whispered, "They're Rob's illusions,"

Cain eyed the floor, "He's doing all this?"

Adam winced and a faceless scream echoed around the living room. I wished that I had the skills to undo the magic but Robert wove his illusions in such a way that they were impossible to unpick. Sometimes, I had learnt to look through them but I was starting to feel the heat from the floor on the bottom of my shoes and hear the bees. 

"He's so strong," Celeste breathed, "It's incredible. Has he always been like this?"

I snorted, "This is nothing. We need to get him to calm down. Now,"

Vic peered around at her big brother and cleared her throat, "Rob? It's Vic, I know you can hear me and it's scary now but you're safe. You're at my house. Aaron's here, so's Adam, Cain and your new friends. It's ok. But your illusions are scaring us. Can you stop them, please?"

The bees dispersed and the floor cooled but the lion stayed in the doorway, watching us through demonic eyes. I made sure everyone stayed at my side, the lion was restless and prowling the small space between the lounge and the kitchen. Robert was so close to the edge. The lion didn't look away from me and I wasn't sure why it felt the need to keep gazing deep into me. I wondered what it was searching for. Evidently it found it as faded from sight a split second before Robert sat bolt upright. His eyes glowed a molten gold as they always did whenever his illusions were a little to real and a knot uncurled in my gut. If he still had his magic then he couldn't be lost. I made to step toward him but Harriet's hand shot out and grabbed the back of my collar. 

"Wait," She said, "Something's happening. Can't you feel it?"

Something shifted inside Robert and it felt like a landslide crashing down in his head. He raised his hands to his head and pressed them against his temples, screwing his eyes tightly shut. The low whine that escaped from him set my hair on end. I had never heard him sound so hurt. His mind settled and he lowered his hands. 

"Rob?" I whispered. 

He turned at the sound of my voice and opened his eyes. Gold faded to blue and then to grey. His vibrant aura splintered and turned lifeless. I brushed our minds together and touched the black hole that had swallowed him.

"Oh," Robert said but I heard his thoughts loud and clear. "Hi,"

_Who are they?_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vic's ability is physical healing.  
> Words written in italics are either Aaron hearing another person's thoughts or communicating with someone in their mindscape.  
> Thank you to everyone who took an interest and time to review/leave kudos'.


	3. The forgotten ones.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron is forced to tell Liv of Robert's actions and to try to see a future without his husband.

The devil dances in the moonlight. 

The forgotten ones.

Aaron Dingle. 

 

_"How could you do this to us, Robert? After everything that we've been through, you threw it all away for her?"_

_Green eyes begged for the forgiveness I didn't have to offer. There was no room inside me for anything other than heartbreak. There was an ugly, bleeding, raw wound carved into my chest where my heart should have been. Robert reached out for me, his face pale and wet with his tears. He whimpered as I jerked away so hard that I slammed into the wall. I couldn't let him touch me and read the betrayal I saw so clearly from his mind. The bed sheets were rumpled and stained, there was a empty whiskey bottle and two used glasses on the dressing table. I took a deep shaky breath and instantly wished I hadn't. The air stank of her, of them and it made me sick to my stomach. I glanced at the floor and caught sight of something pink and lacy underneath the bed. At the centre of it all, clad in only black boxers and his dressing gown, sat Robert. My One. My soul. He looked wrecked, his hair a mess from Rebecca's fingers and his lips kiss swollen._

_"I don't...I don't understand...Aaron, please, I don't know what happened,"_

_I scoffed a broken laugh, clutched my arms to my chest as if I could keep the hurt away. Nobody could weave a lie like Robert could. It was as essential to him as breathing. But he always knew when the truth would hurt more. Always ready for the final strike. He was never that cruel with me._

_"I don't believe you. You knew exactly what you were doing. I want you out of this house, Robert,"_

_"No, Aaron listen to me. Darlin' read my mind, please, I didn't want this,"_

_His mind pounded against mine, lacking it's usual gracefulness and he almost drowned me underneath a sea of fear, confusion and regret. I shoved him away with a shout and barricaded the door between us. Furiously I pinned my gaze on him, stone cold as the blood dripped from his nose and pooled on the bed. His tears couldn't thaw me nor could the trembling hand that had never stopped reaching out for me._

_"Get out. We're done,"_

_"Don't do this. I love you. Please, don't send me away. I've got nowhere to go,"_

_I scrunched up my eyes and turned away, "Not my problem. Get out before I make you leave,"_

_Robert was a stubborn man at the best of times but when his heart was breaking it was even worse. He didn't move, just stared at me, all doe eyed and beautiful. In that brief moment of time, I regretted the day I had ever met Robert Jacob Sugden. I opened my mouth to speak, to command, to force him to obey me and Robert's face paled. He bolted upright, pressed against the opposite corner of the room with outrage on his face._

_"You promised to never use your magic on me," He growled._

_His eyes flashed gold and something cracked through the air. When I opened eyes I hadn't realised were closed, Robert was gone and my marriage was in tatters._

_..............................................._

The silence that fell was deafening. I stared into the familiar eyes of my husband and couldn't find him. Robert slowly sat upright, swaying with one hand pressed against his forehead. I went to move toward him and he startled away, cringing into the sofa. The bottom fell out of my stomach and my heart withered. Robert, my love, my saviour was afraid of me. I could see it in his wide eyes and the hand that was stretched out to push me away. Robert's gaze flickered to me, to Vic and then to Cain where they lingered horrified. Cain shuffled beside me. 

"Rob? It's me, Aaron. Don't you remember?"

He flinched at the sound of my voice and tangled his hands in his wild hair, tugging on the roots. I tried to approach him again but Harriet stopped me with a hand around my wrist. Desperately, I turned to her, pleading that she could fix the damage she had done but there was grief carved into her face. She couldn't help him. 

"I don't...who are you people?" Robert asked, his voice brittle and small, "God, my head hurts. Did you do this to me?"

I shook my head, desperate to ease his pain but knowing that I couldn't. He was so close to the edge and single wrong word could send him falling into a place where I could never reach him. Vic tiptoed forward, tiny, patient, loving Vic and Robert's eyes locked on hers. He didn't seem to be afraid of her, just wary and a bit suspicious. Vic stopped a few steps away from him and the agony bled from her. Adam wrapped a supportive arm around my shoulders and I held on tight to it. 

"I can take the pain away, Rob. It's what I do. I can heal people. You need to trust me," 

Despite her gentle words, Robert still curled away from her hands and cowered into the cushions. I bowed my head at the stark terror haemorrhaging from Robert. There hadn't been a time in the last two hundred years when I hadn't comforted him when he needed me. There had been no recognition, no whispered memories and no love. 

"Who are you?"

"I'm Vic," The forced happiness in Vic's voice was toxic, "I'm your sister. That's my husband Adam, Aaron's in the middle and Cain's next to him. The women are Celeste and Harriet. You don't remember us?"

_Don't say it. Please. Please. I don't think I can take it._

"No. I'm sorry,"

I clamped a hand over my mouth to smother the sobs that tried to escape. How could all our years be gone? All the love, the smiles, the kisses. All those wonderful, secret nights and the glorious days. 

"You've got to remember something!" I snapped, shrugging off Adam's hand, "Damn it, Rob, you can't have forgotten everything,"

Robert jumped to his feet, tripping over a cushion and staring at me like I was a monster, "I don't know you. Stay away!"

The wobble in his voice made me freeze. I'd heard it once before, a lifetime ago, when Robert was younger and a little less bruised. The words he'd whispered to me that night were ones I had vowed never to repeat. I had almost lost him then, to the nightmares in his head and I could see the same downward spiral starting again. Robert hated to be out of control. I stopped, my hand held out to him, tears twisted endlessly down my cheeks. Robert didn't move. My tears did nothing.

"But it's me," I whispered, "How could you forget me?"

Robert shrugged and wrapped long arms around his chest, kicking out at the ground. A chill shot down my spine, the ghost of our lost past. The man before me wasn't my husband. He didn't love me anymore. 

"My head hurts," Robert winced. "Can you help me?"

He reached out for Vic instead of me, sought out the comfort of his little sister when he should have been finding it with me. The siblings muttered to each other, far to quietly for us to hear and Vic's hands glowed a soft green. I span on my heel, surging out the front door, half blinded by the tears that kept falling and would never stop. 

................................................................................................

I fell into The Mill, catching my arm on the door handle and slamming it shut so hard behind me that the building shook. Alone, in the ruin of our house, I crashed to my knees and screamed into my palms. One tiny lapse in judgement had cost me Robert. I knew he hadn't meant it. I had never doubted his love. But I was only human and his infidelity cut me so deep. I hadn't meant for him to leave for good. I just needed a moment to breathe. Now I had an eternity of moments without him. He had been so low, so broken that he had scrubbed us out. How long would it take for him to replace me? A year? Two? I'd never replace him. He was my forever. 

"Aaron?" 

A pair of socked feet appeared in my vision, mismatched polka dot and stripes and I didn't have the strength to look at her. I couldn't hide the tears on my face or the tremors running through my body. Liv knelt down and tugged on my arms but I wouldn't let her move me. 

"Aaron, you're scaring me. What's happened?"

How could I tell her that Robert was gone? That even though she would see him in the street and hear his voice, he wasn't here anymore. And that part of it was her fault, my fault, Mum's fault, the village's fault, Robert's fault. Our family was ruined. Liv cuddled into my side, her breaths ragged as she tugged on my hoodie. She knew. She knew that one person in the entire world could reduce me to this sobbing shattered mess. 

"Tell me," She whispered fearfully, "I can take it," 

"Rob's not coming home,"

Her grip on my arm tightened, "Why not?"

I tipped my head back against the front door, catching sight of Robert's jacket still hung on the peg, "Something happened, Liv. Something bad. I didn't get to him in time,"

"He did something stupid, didn't he?"

I nodded, "Yeah,"

"Is he dead?"

Her voice trembled and broke, I lifted one hand and wrapped it over her shoulders. She didn't look at me, her eyes fixed on a stray thread on her jeans. The ripped pair that she made such a fuss over until Robert surprised her with them. I dropped my lips to her hair and shook my head. 

"No,"

Liv shuffled closer to me, "Then where is he? Is he angry?"

I dragged us both up from the floor, unable to break her heart whilst huddled on the door mat and led her to the sofa. Liv curled into one corner, hugging her knees to her chest and staring at me with terrified eyes. I dropped down beside her and took her shaking hand in mine, clinging onto the only stability I had left. 

"You know that Rob was in a bad place when I left, yeah? He messed up big time but so did I. I left to get my head together so that I could come back and fix us but Rob didn't realise that. He thought that we were over for good and he couldn't handle it, I suppose,"

"Aaron!" Liv snapped, "Stop stalling. Where is he? Why won't he come home?"

I paused. Breathed. Died inside. 

"He went to see a new Coven or something like that, sisters from up north. They performed a spell on him that altered his memories. Liv, he doesn't remember who we are,"

Liv pulled her hand away and surged from the sofa. I watched her pace the small space from the coffee table to the window, her hands tangled in her hair and her lip between her teeth. Agony rolled from her in thick chocking waves and nothing I could say would make it better. Electricity crackled from her skin and it made the hairs on my arm stand on end. 

"He's forgotten us? Forever?"

Through the tears in my eyes, I nodded and gulped, "Yeah. I'm so sorry,"

Sorry for her grief. Sorry for my broken heart. Sorry for Robert's shattered mind. 

"You're lying. Robert wouldn't do that too us. He loves us, he said so,"

She stood in front of me with barred teeth and her fists clenched at her sides. Her anger nothing more than a smoke screen for her pain. I wanted to reach out for her but she shook me away with blazing eyes. 

"He does. He did,"

Because that was something I had never doubted. Robert's love was made to last forever and a day. It was supposed to be ours until the days the stars died out. It was a fate worse than death to be without it. To see him in the village and be nothing more than a name. I stared into my palms and Liv snuffled above me.

"You said we'd be a family again," She accused. 

"I thought we would be," I whispered, "But I can't do anything, Liv. He's gone,"

She aimed a weak handful of electricity at my head that stung across my cheek before she spun on her heel and stormed upstairs. But her anguish lingered around me, brushed up against my mind and twisted with my own.

How had we come to this? 

My Robert, my love, please, I don't know how to do this without you.

 


	4. My broken heart.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron shatters and spirals hard and fast, leaving his family to begin to pick up the pieces.

The devil dances in the moonlight.

My broken heart.

Aaron Dingle.

 

_Robert rolled onto my chest, stretched out lazily in the summer sun and basking in the heat. I scratched my fingers through his hair, smiling at his satisfied hum. The sand was golden beneath us and the sea a stunning blue. Our private little beach whenever we needed to escape. I pushed my sunglasses further up my nose and adjusted the shirt protecting Robert's fair skin. The waves lapped against the shore and everything was perfect. I wished I could capture this moment and keep it safe forever. Robert's hair ticked my face as I pressed a sloppy kiss to his forehead, breathing in the scent of his aftershave._

_"Aaron?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Thank you,"_

_"What for?" I asked, reaching for the beers in the cooler with one hand._

_"Loving me,"_

_I scoffed, "That's easy. You're a nightmare but you're mine,"_

_Robert smiled against my chest, tangling our fingers together and cuddling in closer. Even though it was the hottest day of the year, I didn't care about his weight. This man was everything and I would never turn him away._

_"I love you, too, Aaron. Until the end of days. I always will,"_

_I kissed him and knew that this extraordinarily beautiful man would one day be my husband. The ring that belong only to him was heavy in my pocket. I couldn't wait._

_................................................................................................_

"Mate, I'm so sorry,"

Adam stepped over the mess I had made of the messy cupboard and slid down to the floor beside me. Liv's angry music made the walls vibrate and her anguish was thick and stodgy, clinging to me with everything it had. I couldn't even feel my own, just a comforting numbness where my heart should have been. All around me was the reminders that I was alone. Abandoned. Forgotten. Adam sat down close enough to make our shoulder brush, his mind blessedly quiet and serene. I dragged my knees up closer to my chest and resumed my blank staring. 

"I've lost him, haven't I?"

"I don't know. I don't understand the spell they used but the sister's are trying to work it out. They think he changed his mind half way through,"

I sniffed, "He did. I felt it. He called for me, Adam and I couldn't help him. What do I do?"

He shrugged, "Give them time?"

I blinked back tears, "What if that's not enough? What if they can't fix him?"

Adam sighed tiredly, playing with the cuffs of his jacket, "We could try to jog his memory. Vic was gonna show him photographs after he calms down. Maybe you could show him something?"

But I didn't want to share those private moments with the stranger wearing Robert's face. They were only meant for my Robert. Not this weak copy of the man he used to be.

"I don't want to see him. That's not my husband in there,"

There was fire in Adam's eyes as he whipped around to glare at me, "Don't say that. Don't you dare leave him to deal with this alone,"

I surged to my feet, my fists clenched at my sides, "He doesn't even know me. Trust me, he's not going to miss me. Probably won't even realise that I'm supposed to be with him,"

Adam's anger morphed into pity and it was everything I didn't want. He pulled out a chair and slumped down into his, his anorak creaking as he moved. Adam and Robert had never been friends, they were amicable with each other, always kept Vic and I happy but they'd never connected. I'd never asked why but I suspected that egos and pride were to blame. A large part of me wished that they could put the past behind them. 

"C'mon, Aaron, aren't you the expert at all this mind mumbo jumbo? How do you know that Rob won't know you tomorrow?"

Because I had looked into his eyes and seen nothing. Just emptiness. And a wound like Robert had suffered didn't heal overnight. It would take months, maybe years until Robert's mind was healthy enough to make new memories, his old ones were lost. I knuckled my eyes, using the physical pain to override the one in my heart. 

"My husband's been erased, Adam! He's gone, ok? We won't ever get him back. I saw his mindscape, it's been wiped clean, we're not there. There's nothing in his head anymore, I'm gone, Vic's gone, you're gone, even his Mum's gone. He can't remember us! He doesn't...doesn't...,"

Warm arms wrapped around me and abruptly interrupted my panic. Even though I clung to Adam, I would have shoved him away from another hour with Robert. Anything to rewind the clock and take the last month six months back. To be there to convince Robert that we were worth fighting for. That I had never, ever thrown him away. 

"I don't accept that. I can't," Adam insisted fiercely, "Rob's a stubborn twat when he wants to be and he loves you. Yours is the kind of love that can't be erased,"

I wanted his confidence but it was smothered by the voice in my head.

I caused this. 

I didn't listen. 

He needed you and you left him. 

You've lost him for good. 

"I can't face him yet," I said, finally pulling away and shoving my hands in my pocket, "I'm sorry,"

"No, I get it. Why don't you talk to the sisters? Maybe if you understand the spell they used then you can undo it?"

"Yeah,"

What other options did I have?

..................................................................................................

But I couldn't sit in the same room as the women who had taken Robert away from me. If it wasn't for them, he would have been waiting at home for me, we'd have worked things out. I watched them from the doorway of the pub, wave goodbye to Vic and drive out of the village. Harriet caught my eye as the car pulled away and mimicked a 'call me' gesture with her hand. I scowled at them, knowing that I would never call them. I'd fix Robert all by myself if I had too. The door to Keeper's Cottage started to close and I caught a glimpse of blonde hair and a blue jumper before it did. My stomach twisted up, Robert must be so scared, so confused in the absence of everything. His emotions were a raging storm just on the fringes of my mind. Our bond was still clogged up by betrayal and grief on both sides. Robert may not know me but he had clung to his hurt. It took everything in me not to run to him, to heal and comfort but what was the point? I was a stranger. 

I walked dejectedly into the pub, my head hanging low and my shoulders slumped. Word had travelled around the village fast and everyone had manufactured condolences. The world looked at me and saw a widower. I couldn't help but agree with them. 

Paddy wandered up to me and the sympathy radiating from him almost drove me to my knees. He looped one arm around my shoulders and guided me away from the whispers. 

_Poor Aaron, they never got a chance to work it out._

_It's so sad. I don't know what I'd do if I lost Ness like that._

_We all knew that Robert would mess it up again._

_How do we even look at Rob? I mean, it's not him anymore. I've got to reintroduce myself to a man I've known for decades._

"Aaron?" Numbly, I blinked up at Pete who smiled awkwardly, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry,"

"Why?" I spat, "You hated him. You all did,"

"No-no, I didn't,"

I tapped my temple, "Can't lie to me. Human lie detector, mate,"

Paddy's arm tightened around me and dragged me forward, "Thank you, Pete. He appreciates it,"

He forced me behind the bar, struggling with my weight until Cain took my free arm and manhandled me to the back. I wrenched away from them and stalked to the window. Even being in this place hurt so much. Robert and I had laughed at this table, we'd kissed behind closed doors and danced in the kitchen. I could almost see our phantoms swaying in the moonlight. I closed my eyes tight and swallowed back a sob.

"Aaron, son, I am so, so sorry," Paddy stammered. 

My step father meant it, I knew he did but his grief was light and quiet. It was all wrong. He mourned what I had lost, the life I should have had but he didn't mourn Robert. He hadn't given the man Robert had been, the soul that had been ripped away from us another thought. Two hundred years and Robert still wasn't family. Now, he never would be. I opened my eyes to glare at him, wishing he felt even a quarter of my agony.

"You'll never have to see him again, aren't you happy?" I growled. 

"Of course not. I'd never wish this on anyone,"

"This is what you and Mum have always wanted. You never thought he was good enough and now he's gone forever. When's the celebration? A proper Dingle knees-up,"

"Aaron, that's enough,"

I swallowed back the tears that threatened, squashed down my broken heart and embraced the anger. I fed the betrayal and the injustice of it all, to keep myself sane. If I could cling to the fire, then I would stay afloat. I grated out a ruthless laugh and Paddy flinched.

"This is your fault. I bet you turned him away when he came for help. Didn't you!"

"He hurt you. What were we supposed to do?"

"Yeah, he hurt me. Not you. I trusted you to take care of him. You promised that you would,"

Paddy glanced to his feet and when he looked back up his eyes were gleaming and the guilt was pungent. 

"That was thirty years ago,"

"And? It still stands. I wasn't there to make sure he wasn't doing anything stupid. You were,"

"I'm sorry,"

I had another scathing remark building on my tongue when the door opened again and Mum slipped inside. There were dark circles underneath her eyes and new lines on her face. She saw me and a barrier shot up in her head. It burned me as I knocked against it and I snarled. Why should I be the only one to suffer in this? Why did mum get to pretend she caused this? She was the reason that I was going to wake up to an empty bed tomorrow and for the rest of time.

Mum flinched, "Aaron, you're projecting. It hurts,"

I bared my teeth, "Good,"

Despite the pain, Mum powered forward and threw her arms around me, holding me close when I struggled. Her palm pressed into the back of my neck and she let just enough heat out to startle me into stillness. 

"Aaron, love, I don't know what to say,"

"There's nothing to say,"

"I'm sorry,"

"I wish people would stop saying that. Robert's still alive, he's just across the street. He isn't dead,"

Mum stroked my hair, "What really happened? No one seems to know,"

I pulled away and slumped down on the sofa, dragging my hands through my beard. Paddy and Mum sat either side of me and I leeched their strength.Mum dragged the green knitted blanket off the back of the sofa and threw it around my shoulders. It smelt of wood smoke and Mum's perfume. I dragged it tighter around me, burying myself in the sea of fabric.

"Not sure myself. Some new age Coven felt his pain and reached out to him. They cast a spell on him that would erase his memories of us but something went wrong and it wiped out everything. He didn't even know his name,"

Mum gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth, "Everything?"

I nodded, "He didn't know who I was. He was hurting and scared and he didn't want me. My Rob pushed me away,"

"Can they undo it?" Paddy asked.

Wiping my nose on my sleeve, I shrugged, "Dunno. Didn't stick around to find out. They said something about a Trigger Object but Rob's gotta work out what it is. I don't think they can help him,"

"What are you going to do?"

"Move on, I guess. It's what everyone wants,"

But that was terrifying. How could I live and breathe without Robert? He was such an important part of me, in my veins and my soul. I didn't know if I could function without him. I didn't want to find out. Robert's absence would tear all the colour out of my life, all the laughter and the smiles. It wouldn't be an existence I wanted. It would be easier to let it all go and give up. Mum wrapped her warm hands around mine and dragged my attention to her. There was determination and steel in her gaze and a mourning I didn't expect. She still had a tight grip on her mind but allowed a glimmer to shine through. 

"You listen to me, Aaron Dingle, and listen good. You know I'm not Robert's biggest fan right now. He broke your heart and I'm allowed to be angry for a while. But he loved you and no spell can change that, even if he doesn't know it. This is what you're going to do, you're gonna stop moping and raging at your family and you're going to make Robert fall in love with you again,"

"How? He's scared of me,"

Paddy chuckled, "Then stop growling at him. You've done it once before and you can do it again,"

"But I...I...,"

"Try it,"

Robert had fallen for a different man. One who was loyal and caring. A man who would never leave him behind without a word. Did I want to see how different Robert was without his memories? 

Could I love this new version of Robert?

"It's not that simple. Maybe this is better for both of us,"

I pushed away from my family, pulling my hood up over my head and marched out. 

**Author's Note:**

> To clear up any confusion, this is a list of everyone's abilities:  
> Robert: To cast illusions and make people believe them.  
> Chas: Fire manipulation.  
> Cain: Strength.  
> Liv: Lightening manipulation.  
> Aaron:Empathy/telepathic.


End file.
